Welt closing mechanism for full fashioned knitting machines



L oct. ls, 193.1..

` WELT cLosING M'EcHANIsM Fon FULL FAsHroNED KNITTING MACHINES 4SheetsSheet 1 Filed-Feb. 24, 1930 Fll.

A W1 TNESSES TTORNEYS.

Oct. 6, 1931.

J; HAINES, JR

WELT CLOSING MECHANISM FOR FULL FASHIONED KNITTING ACHINES ,Filed Feb.24, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 2l WELT CLOSING MECHANISM FOR FULL FAsHIoNEDKNITTING MACHINES J. HAINES, JR, v

Filed Feb. 24, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 www IN VI EN TOR.- Tosqz/JJZ' HawesJj.;

TToRNEY,

WITNESSES' W ct- 5, 193] J. HAlNErs, JR 1,826,661"- WELT CLOSINGMECHANISM FOR FULL FASHIONED KNITTING MACHINES Filed Feb.. 24, 1930 4Sheets-Sheet 4 lNVlgNroR Joseph Hawes ,Jg

' l ATTORNEYS.

Patented oct. e, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT 'OFFICE JOSEPH CHAINES; JR.,F 'YMEADOWBBOKQ PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOBJ T0 HAINES HOSIERY MILLS, INC.,0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

WELT CLOSING MECHAN'ISM FOR FULL FASHIONED- KNITTING MACHINESApplication filed February24, 1930. Serial No. 430,566.

This invention relates to full fashionedr hosiery knitting machines, andhas more especial reference to mechamsm useful 1n connection with suchmachines to close the manufacturing costs,

welts at the tops of stocking blanks.

As is well known to those conversant with this art, turning and closingof welts by hand on full fashioned hosiery knitting Inachines is a verytedious operation which necessitates the exercise of great skill andtherefore employment of high salaried help. Notwithstanding, theoperation is often attended by dropping of the fabric loops incident totransfer from the loop engaging instrumentalities of the welt bars backtothe knitting needles, and' in the formation of seconds which must bedisposed of at a loss.- Another disadvantage is that it entails stoppageof the machines for protracted periods. with corresponding curtailmentin production.

The chief aim of my invention is to overcome the above recited drawbackswith a view toward increasing the output of the machines andcorrespondingly minimizing simple means in the form of an attachmentcapable ofbeing readily adapted to standard machines, and of effectingclosure of stocking welts automatically. A further aim of my inventionisto enable employment of the narrowing nism of the machines to performall lations of the welt closing operation.

Still further objects and attendant advantages of this invention will bemanifest from the detailed description following whenconsidered inconnection with the accompanying drawings; whereof Fig. I is a crosssectional view of a typical full fashioned hosiery knitmanipubarsessential -to the welt ting machine conveniently embodying my` improvedwelt closing mechanism.

Fig. II is a fragmentary elevation of the front of the organization, oras viewed from the right of Fig. I, comprehending one of the doubleneedle bar sections of the machine.

Fig. III is a detail view in front elevation, on a somewhat larger scalethan the preceding illustrations, showing the means whereby the weltbars are removably attached through provision of a' mechavwelt bars,tional view of the machine showing the knitting instrumentalities inthe position which they ordinarily occupy while forming the fabric for astocking welt, and featuring certain of the parts associated -with thepresent invention.

Figs. VI and VII are detail views showing the cooperation of the needlesand sinkersof the machine with the loop engaging instrumentalities ofthe welt bars during the welt closing operation in accordance with myinvention.

Fig. VIII is a fragmentary'gcross sectional view of the machine, similarto Fig. I, show- A ing more particularly the means providedl formodifying the normal action of the narrowing mechanism of the machinefor the purposes of automatic welt closure.

Fig. IX is a perspective view showing how the welt bars for eachknitting section of the machine are mounted in laligned relation to aholder bar in pairs to facilitate their application to the narrowingmechanism; and,

Fig. is a perspective view of a special type of loop engaginginstrumentality for the whichI prefer to employv in connection With mywelt closing mechanism.

Referring first more especially to Figs. I

and II of these illustrations, the numeral 12 designates a needle barwhereof there is one associated with each knitting section of themachine as usual, said bar carrying, in alignedu'elation, two sets ofneedles 13ffor vknitting'as many separate stocking blanks at a time.'The needle bar l2 is moved up and down in the interval between thetransverse frames 14, 14a of the machine relative to the horizontallycooperating sliding sinkers 15 and the rocking knock-over bits 16, bymeans of arms 17 on a horizontal rock shaft 18, said rock shaft beingoscillated through suitable connections (not shown) -with thelongitudinally extending cam shaft 19 of the machine.

The catch bar 2O for the sinkers 15 is likewise actuated by a cam (notillustrated) on. the shaft '19, through a roller'arm partly shown at 21in Fig.` I, which roller arm is secured to a horizontal rock shaft 22 atthe back 'of the machine. Another arm 23 on the rock shaft 22 isdirectlyIconnected, by means of a link 24, with the catch barv20. VThenarrowing mechanism of the machine, comprehensively designated 25, hasthe usual curved arms 26 which reach upward and forwardly from anotherrock shaft 27 at the back of the upper portion of the machine, andsupporta rod 28between them directly over the knitting instrumentalities13, 15 and 16. Shiftable endwiseinpendant brackets 29 on the rod 28 arethe horizontal slide bars 30, 31 whereto are respectively secured thenarrowing combs 32, 33 which-are instrumental in shaping the stockingblanks after a well known manner.

. Dipping motion is imparted to the arms 26 and their appendages througha downward link 34 having pivotal connection at its upper end with therod 28 and `at its 'lower end, with a lever 35.A This lever 35 isrockable about a stud 36 on the transverse frame l14, and, as shown,carries, intermediate its ends, a roller 37, which, during ordinarynarrowing, 1s

adapted to be iniuenced by the narrowing cam 38 on the cam vshaft 19.The means whereby the narrowing mechanism 251 may be lifted manually forretainment in idle position when required, includes a crank handle 39which is fulcrumed at 39a on the frame 14a and coordinated, by means ofa rod 40, with a f lever 41 on still another rock shaft 42 that extendslongitudinally of the lower rear part of the machine, see Figs. I, IIand VIII. On this shaft 42 is secured a stop arm 43 with a roller 43a,which, lwhen the crank handle 39 is moved outward from the positionshown in Fig. I, .is swung beneath the free end of the lever 35, therebyto hold the narrowing mechanism 25 raised as aforesaid with the roller37 on said lever clear of the narrowing cam 38.

In carrying out my invention, I permanentlysecure the two welt bars 45associated with each knitting section of the machine in aligned relationto a holder bar 46, see Figs.

`V and IX. As shown, the holderI bar 46 is of angular cross section, andprovided in that flange 46a thereof whereto the welt bars 45 aredirectly secured, with gage holes 47. and in the complemental lateralflange 465 at corresponding points with quadrangular apertures 48 for apurpose later on explained. During knitting of the stocking'welts, the

I holder bar 46 is sustained by slideways 49 (Figs. I and V) Xedcross'wise of the top longitudinal channel rail 50 at the front of themachine frame. At the rear, the holder Y v bar 46 is equipped atsuitable intervals, with Y apertured lugs 51-to receive theV hooks ofthe draw straps 52 on the take-np roll indicated at 53 in Fig. I, saidtake-up roll extending between brackets 54 that reach horizontallyoutward from the channel rail 50 in the planes of the transverse frames14, 14a'of the machine. The loop engaging instrumentalities 55 which Iemploy in the. welt bars 45, it will be noted from Figs/VI, VII and X,are of the latch hook variety; their latches 56 having considerableextent beyond` the hook ends to facilitate their ready openingsimultaneously` in preparation for engaging the loops L (Figs. VI andVII) of the first course of the welt fabric F in starting new'stockingblanks. For this operation, a latch.. opening means comprehensivelydesignated 57 in Fig.- I is provided. This latch opening means 57 isfully disclosed in a separate patent application, Serial No. 421,547filed by Harold F.

-Paget on January 17,1930, and need not shown in Figs. VI and VII, andas described in greater detail'later on. After a predetermined lengthof. fabric F has beenl knit for the welts of the stockings, the holderbar 46 with its welt bars 45 is applied to the narrowing mechanism 25 asshown in Figs. I, II and III, that is to say, the tapered ange tween thetwo narrowing comb bars 30, 31 and lts gageholes 47 registered withcorresponding allocated gage studs or pins 60, (Figs. III and IV) on thenarrowing comb bar 31. To lock the holder bar 46 against displacementwhen so applied, I provide at the rear of the narorwing comb bars 30,31, a pair of v461) of said bar is inserted in the interval belatches 61to engage the apertures 48 in the flange 465 of said holder bar, seeFigs. II, HI and IV. As shown, these latches 61 are vertically' slidablein guide pieces 6 2 secured to the rod 28 of the narrowing mechanism.

25, andare coordinated for simultaneous operation by a horizontal crossbeam or connector 63, which, at its center, has a longitudinal slot 64adapted to be engaged by the crank pin 65 of a manipulating handle 66.

A yoked bracketl 67 secured to the rod 28, see Figs. II and III, afordsthe axis, 68 of the manipulating handle 66 fulcrum support; and means inthe form of a spring pressed ball 69 to engage with circumferentialnotches 70. 71vin4 the boss of the yoke bracket 67 is relied upon tohold the manipulating handle- 66 yieldingly, either in the on positionof Fig. II, or the oi.position of Fig. III. A

Incidentto ordinary narrowing, the mecl1a-v nism 25 is caused .to diptwice, first to take the loops L from the needles 13and again Y aftershifting of the transfer comb bars 30, Y

31 to placesuch loops on adjacentneedles. In order to modify the actionof the narrow- 1ts end rounded as at 72a lo 7 ing mechanism. for thepurposes of my invention I provide means for eliminating one of the twodips above referred to. This means includes as shown in Figs. I, II andVIII, an arm 72, which, for convenience, isshown as being mountedforfree swinging movement on the loop regulating shaft `73 at the frontof the machine, said arm havlng to engage a collar 4 on the rod 40 thatextends between the handle 39 and the lever 41 associated with theroller arm 43 on the rock shaft 42. In order that the stop or roller arm43 may be actuated independently of the handle 39, the rod 40 isslidingly engaged in a swivel stud 75 in a lug 39bof said handle. Beyondthe swivel stud 75 the rod 40 is vfitted with a sec- 0nd collar 76 tocooperate with said swivel incident to manual actuation ofthe roller arm43 by the handle 39. From the arm 72 prujects laterally a stud 77whereon is slidingly mounted a roller 78 which is shiftable by means ofa hand lever 79 into the plane of a supplemental rotary cam 80 on thecam shaft` 19 of the machine. From Fig. VIII it will be noted that whenthe roller 78 rides the high fabric F (Figs.V V,

portion 80a of the supplemental cam 80, the

.roller arm 43 is pulled forward into active position to intercept thelever 35 and to holdl the narrowing mechanism 25 raised while the lowportion 38a of the narrowing cam 38 passes beneath the roller 37 on thelever 35. thereby preventing narrowing mechanism. When however, the highportion 80a of the supplemental cam 80 passesbeyond the range of theroller.7 8 on the 'arm 72, the lever l35 is released in timey to beactuated by the second low portion 385 of the narrowing cam 38 so'thatthe narrow- 'ing mechanism 25 is permitted to perform'the one vdipnecessary to welt closure'in the manner presently explained.

The method of welt turning and closing with the mechanism of myinvention isas follows: Assumin'gthat the proper length of Vl and VII)has been knit on each set of the machine has been automatically Vstoppedinthe usual way bythe means provided for thatp'urpose in readiness forthe' straps 52 of the take-up roller 53 are un hooked from the holderbar 46. The holder -l bar 46 is then lifted from'oif its guides 49(Figs. I and V) andmounted on the narrowing mechanism 25. Incident tothis step, the

tapered iange 465 ofthe holder bar 46 is inserted in the intervalbetween the two .ver-4 tically-spaced narrowing comb bars 30. 31

of the mechanism 25 as hereinbetore ex-A plained, care being taken toregister theholes 47 in the-flange 46al with the studs 60 on the combbar 31, whereupon the manipulating handle 66 is swung from the positionof Fig. III to the position of with the .to sheath the the* usual firstdip of said l the needles 13, and thatv welt turning,v

Fig. vII to. thrust the latches 61 down into'the apertures 48 of theA.cam shaft 19. itis to be understood, that, un-

der the influence of the supplemental cam 80, the roller arm 43 iscaused to intercept the lever 35, 'thereby to prevent the iirst dip ofthe narrowing mechanism 25, also as previously explained. However, whenthe high portion 80a of the supplemental cam 8O has cleared the roller78', the roller arm 43 is moved from beneath the lever 35 permitting theroller 37 to Contact with the narrowing cam 38 during the final halfrevolution of the latter, to the end that the mechanism 25 welt bars ismoved downward. The hook instrumentalities of the welt bars 45 arethereby lowered to the position shown in F igfVI to meet the needles 13and beards 13a of said needles within the flutings 57 of their shanks.-Such contact as between the needles 13 and thefinstrumentalities 55 isbrought about while the sinkers 15 are retracted as in Fig. VI so thatthe loops L of the initialcourse of the fabric on said instrumentalitiesare impaled upon the needles 13 in a manner simulative of loop transferincident to ordinary narrowing. Then with the needles 13 and theinstrumentalities 55 still in the position of Fig. VI, i

the' sinkers 15 are advanced, through movement of the catch bar 20 (asduring an ordinary loops L as in Fig. VII, whereupon as the narrowingmechanism 25 is lifted in completing its dip, the hook instrumentalities55 of the welt bars 45 are withdrawn from said loops L, the latches 56of said instrumentalities closing automatically after the manner ofordinary loops L are thus retained by the needles 13 and the welt closedover the course of loops L" last knit. After having passed through asinglev narrowing cycle as just explained, the machine is caused toresume its normal mode of operation vautomatically to continue knittingthe legportions of the stockings.4

narrowing cycle), into position over the 61 by a return swing of' themanipulating handle 66 in readiness tol latched knitting needles. The lA lbe used for the next set of stocking blanks.

T hev hand lever 7 9 is at the same time shifted to its normal positionso that the roller 78' is kept out of the way of the supplementall lilcam 80 during theA narrowing periods which follow the welt Aclosingoperation incident to completion of the stocking blanks on the machine.Y v

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a very simplemeans by which the operation of welt closing is performed automatically,said mechanism being in the form ofan attachment readily adaptable tostandard `knitting machines. The time interval required to carry out theonly hand A operation involved, namely, that of placing needles,narrowing mechanism,

in g mechanism; of welt closing mechanism including a welt bar fittedwith loop engaging instrumentalities and adapted to be removablyattached to the narrowingmechanism for utilization of the dipping motionof the latter to effect transfer of theinitial course of fabric loops onthe welt bar instrumentalities back to the needles of the machine, gagemeans for determining the position of the welt bar on the narrowingmechanismtolpre'- i assure accurate registryof the loop engaglnginstrumentalities withlthe needles, and latch means for securing thewelt bar against displacement on'the narrowing mechanism'.

' 2. The combination in a full fashioned knitting machine embodying aseries ofneedles, narrowing mechanism, and means for imparting dippingmotion to the narrowing '.`mechan1sm; of welt closing mechanismincluding a welt bar fittedwith loop engaging. instrumentalities andadapted to be removably attached to the ynarrowing mechanism forutilization of the dipping motion 'of the latter to eiect transfer ofthe initial course Aof the fabric loops on the welt bar`instrumentalities back to the needles of the knitting machine, andmeans securing the welt-bar against Adisplacer'nent on the narrowingmechanism comprising a number of latches for engaging said bar atintervals, and means for, simultaneously actuating said latches.

3. The combination ina full fashionedY knitting machine embodying vaseries of needles, narrowing mechanism, and means. for lmpartmg dlppmgmotlon to the narrowing mechanism; of welt closing mechanism -includinga welt bar fitted with loop engaging instrumentalities and adapted to betemporarily attached tothe narrowing mechanism for utilization-of thedipping motion of thelatter to effect transfer of the initialcoursechine section,

of the 'fabric loops4 on the welt bar instrumentalitiesback to theneedles of the machine, a

number of sliding latches .for engaging the.

welt bar at intervals to secure it against displacement on the narrowingmechanism, a common connector for the latches, and an actuating handlewith an eccentric pinto engage a longitudinal slot in'said connector. 4.The combination in a full fashioned knitting machine embodying a seriesof needles, narrowing mechanism with vertically.

spaced longitudinal slide bars carrying narrowmg combs; of weltA closingmechanism mcluding awelt bar fitted with loop engaging instrumentalitiesand adapted to be removably attached tothe narrowing mechanism forntilization of the dipping motion of the latter 4to effectl transfer ofthe initial course of the fabric loops on the welt barinstrumentalitiesback to the needles of the machine, said welt bar having aperpendicularly projecting lateral flange capable of engaging in theinterval between the two slide bars aforementioned of the narrowingmechanism, and

latch meansto securethe welt barY against I displacement on thenarrowing mechanism.

' 5; The combination in a full'l fashioned knitting -machine embodying aIseries of needles, narrowing mechanism' with' vertically :spacedlongitudinal slides carrying narrowing combs; of welt closing mechanismincluding a welt barV fitted with loop engaging instrumentalitiesandadapted to be removably attached Y.to the narrowing mechanism forutilization of the dipping motion of the latter to effect transfer ofthe initial course of the loo fabric loops on the welt barinstrumentalities back to thenee'dles of the machine, said welt barhaving a` perpendicularly projecting lateral ange capable of engaging inthe interval between the two slide bars aforementioned of the narrowingmechanism, a number of latches disposed behind the slide bars to engageapertures arranged at intervals along the ange of the welt bar to holdsaid bar against displacement on the narrowing mechanism, and means toactuate the latches.

6. The combination in a full fashioned Eknitting machine 'embodylng anumber of knitting sections'each with a pluralityof sets of needles' inlongitudinal alignment, a narrowing mechanism individual to each sectionand means for imparting dipping motion to such narrowing mechanism; ofwelt closing mechanism including holder members with rmanentlyattachedwelt'bars correspondy ber of needle banks in each masaid WeltV barsbeing arranged in aligned relation on the: holder membersand ing to then each fitted with loop engaging instrumentalities, and latchingmeanswhereby said holder members are detachably secured to the narrowingmechanism for utilization of the dipping motlon of the latter to effecttransfer of v the initial courses of the'several fabric sections on thewelt bar instrumentalities back to the needles-of the machine incidentto automatic welt closing.

7. The combination in a full fashioned knitting machine embodying aseries of needles, narrowing mechanism, and cam actuated meansdetermining a double` dlp `of said narrowing mechanism during theordinary narrowing phases of the knitting; of

welt closing mechanism including a welt bar fitted lwith loop engaginginstrumentalities v and adapted to be removably latched to the purposesof automatic welt closure, the actionI narrowing mechanism, andsupplemental mechanism operative to intercept the cam actuated mechanismaforesaid whereby, for the ties back to the needles of the machine.

8. The combination inl a full fashioned 'knitting machine embodying aseries of ble stop arm capable of intercepting the lever and withholdingit from the influence of theA cam; of welt closingmechanism includingA awelt bar fitted with loop engaging instrumentalities and adapted to beremovably attached to the narrowing mechanism; means whereby, f or thepurposes of automatic welt closure, the

-stop arm aforementioned is automatically operated independently of itsmanual actuation, means to temporarily restrain the lever from theinfluence of the cam with impartation of but a single dip to thenarrowing mechanism and the attached welt bar to effect transfer o'f theinitial course of the fabric loops on the welt bar instrumentalitiesback to the needles of the machine.

11. The combination in a -full fashioned knitting machine embodying aseries of needles, narrowing mechanism, a rotary cam with low points todetermine, through cooperation with a lever, a double dip of saidnarrowing mechanism during the 4ordinary narrowing phases of theknitting, and a stop arm needles, narrowing mechanism, and a rotarywapable of being'moved into the path of said cam with low points todetermine a double dip of the narrowing mechanism during the ordinarynarrowing phases of the knitting; of welt closing mechanism including awelt bar fitted with loop engaging instrumentalities and adaptedto beremovably attached to the narrowing mechanism, and means where# by, forthe purposes of automatic welt closure, the effect of one of the lowpoints of the rotary cam aforesaid is nullified with imp artation of buta single dip to the welt. bar

and with incidental transfer of theinitial course of fabric loops on theweltbarinstrumentalities back to the needles'of the machine.

9; The combination in a full fashioned f knitting machine embodying aseries of needles, narrowing mechanism, and'a rotary cam with low pointsdetermining, by cooperation with a lever, a double dip of said narrowingmechanism during the ordinary narrowing phases of the knitting; of weltclos- Y ing mechanism including a welt bar fitted Aso with loop engaginginstrumentalities and adapted to be removably attached to thenarrowingmechanism, and means whereby, for

the purposes of automatic welt closure, the lever aforesaid istemporarily withheld from the influence of the cam with impartation ofbut a single dip to the narrowing mechanism and the' attached welt barto effect transfer of the initial course of the fabric loops on the theneedles of the machine.

T11 testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name at Philadelphia,Pennsylvania, this 20th day of February, 1930.

J OSEPH HAINES, JR.

welt bar instrumentalities back to the needles of the machine. n

10. The combination in a full fashioned knitting machine, embodying aseries of needles, narrowing mechanism, a rotary cam with low points todetermine, by cooperationA with a lever, a double dip of said narrowingmechanism during the ordinary narrowing phases of the knitting, and amanually opera-

